Lily's Eyes
by Runi-chan
Summary: It was her eyes. He looked at the boy and saw the father's face, but the mother's beautiful, loving eyes. Spoilers for Deathly Hallows.


_Wow. Deathly Hallows was so good. And yet, out of everything that happened, I think that what hit me the most was Snape's memory chapter. Reading through that actually made me cry; half because of how painfully obvious it was that Severus loved Lily, and half because I was so happy that Severus was a good guy after all._

_Disclaimer: Who in their right mind would think I owned this property?_

It was her eyes. He looked at the boy and saw the father's face, but the mother's beautiful, loving eyes. Spoilers for Deathly Hallows.

* * *

_"It's obvious, isn't it?"_

Severus Snape's momentary burst of confidence quickly fled as the girl looked back at him. He had watched them from a distance for a great while, the two girls, and the younger one; Lily; she had a radiance about her that drew the young boy in. A blush crept into his pale, thin cheeks as he was suddenly aware that he looked horribly disheveled.

He lowered his voice.

_"I know what you are...you're a witch"_

Lily glared at him, clearly affronted.

"_That's not a very nice thing to say to somebody!"_

The blush strengthened in Severus' cheeks. Oh, he should have known he'd get that reaction. He ran after the girls, oversized coat flapping behind him. When Lily turned to glare at him one last time, he caught a glimpse of her green eyes. For a moment, he couldn't move. Severus sat suddenly, feeling defeated.

---

The elder sister had laughed at him. He remembered that. And the more he was around Lily Evans, the more the elder sister seemed to dislike him. Not that Severus was terribly surprised; his family was not particularly popular in the area--and he didn't exactly look to be a sweet boy.

_"How are things at your house?"_

Severus' brow creased.

"_Fine"_, he replied, but he didn't mean it. Lily had sometimes asked him about his family; how far back could he trace his lineage? Severus usually obliged her with a short geneology, forgetting to mention that his father was just a Muggle.

----

Lily was asking about Azkaban; she looked worried about the small incidents of magic that she'd done. He reassured her that they wouldn't be sent there; not at this age. A person could shortly before n't help it, the level of talent they were born with. Why would the Ministry fault a young girl for having the ability to use magic?

"_If I use magic outside of school--"_

_"They wouldn't give you to the dementors for that!" _Severus sputtered; Lily really thought that...oh, no..

"_Dementors are for people who do really bad stuff! They guard the wizard prison Azkaban. You're not going to end up in Azkaban, you're too..."_

Severus stopped, a blush crashing full force into his face. He absently shredded the leaves in his hands. What was he going to finish that sentence with? Pretty? Beautiful? Kind? He couldn't recall now.

A rustling noise sounded from above; Petunia stumbled out from behind a tree. Lily eyes brightened, but Snape didn't notice.

When the branch fell, the girl blamed him. It was true, of course, but the utter contempt in Lily's eyes once again made the half-blood feel low and defeated.

----

The train to Hogwarts. Potter's gang's cruel taunts; as if growing up in an unstable household hadn't been enough for Severus, now he was coming to the realization of just what that warm, happy feeling was when he thought of Lily. Friends? No, more than that. She had been so kind to him; was he mistaking this for something else?

"Snape, Severus!"

He ambled to the front of the room, and sat on the chair. The Sorting Hat slipped over the crown of his head, and over his eyes. And then a voice rang through his mind.

"Ah yes, young Severus! Your mother is Eileen Prince, correct?"

The voice was loud, clear; Severus feared the hat was broadcasting this conversation across the Great Hall. He feared to respond out loud, so he simply nodded.

"Of course. Now, which house would you like to be in?"

Severus took a moment; Lily was in Griffyndor, but so was that Potter boy. Sirius Black had, surprisingly, also been placed in Griffyndor. Both boys had taunted him on the Train.

"Griffyndor?" the hat's tone was amused, "You would like to be there, maybe? You seem more a Slytherin, but I've seen stranger things. And you do seem to almost fit. Very well..."

"NO!" Severus nearly screamed, but thought instead, "Slytherin! Put me there. Please"

"SLYTHERIN!"

The hat's call echoed across the hall. Severus stood and spared a glance at Lily before sitting with his house. A fifth year with platinum blonde hair patted Severus on the back as he sat down, a Prefect badge gleaming on his chest..

Across the hall, Severus watched Lily, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

---

Severus walked away from Lily, almost as if there was a spring in his step; so she didn't like Potter after all! He was almost joyful, before he realized that such a small victory was nothing. Of course Potter fancied Lily; she was gorgeous, kind, and witty; surely Severus didn't think that he could simply be friends with Lily forever? Surely he wouldn't think that nothing could get in the way of such a friendship?

And he could not bring himself to tell her anything.

---

Lily had turned and left.

Severus slumped to the floor, next to the portrait. Why had he called her that? Why had it slipped out? He knew he didn't believe a word the Death Eater wannabes professed. The power that they were promised was alluring, yes, but he knew Lily wasn't of foul blood. He felt momentarily ashamed that he himself could call anyone a "Mudblood", considering that he was, in fact, only half blood. Absently, he remembered that a few decades back, there had been a war amongst the Muggles. There had been a government who had tried to do much the same thing as this new power was trying to do.

But this magic one was different. This struggle had been going on for much longer. Severus' mind turned back to Lily. Words were still stuck in his throat. What could he have said?

He later had to restrain himself when he happened upon James Potter telling Lily that she had beautiful eyes.

---

Voldemort had lied. And so had Dumbeldore. He had asked both to keep Lily from harm. Neither had. But the boy survived. Potter's boy was also Lily's boy. And when the child walked through the doors of Hogwarts for the first time, he restrained himself from a gasp.

He indeed had his mother's eyes. Kind, forgiving, spirited. And over the years, no matter what the boy did, he made sure Harry was protected. Severus felt a deep shame that he had not protected Lily, but the boy...he would keep the boy safe.

After all, Harry had Lily's eyes. And Severus would always love Lily Evans. Always. And he knew that even if Lily did not feel the same way, if Severus would let her child become harmed, he would have been no better than the Dark Lord himself.


End file.
